Hawkeye aye

Premier League nod for technology.

THE Premier League will use Hawkeye's goal-line technology from next season.

Club chiefs agreed to introduce the British-developed system at a meeting of the 20 top-flight clubs in London.

A German system, GoalControl, had also been under consideration after submitting a tender.

A statement said: "The Premier League is pleased to announce that it has awarded Hawk-Eye, the world’s leading provider of vision processing instruments to sport, the contract to provide goal-line technology systems across its 20 member clubs and all 380 Barclays Premier League matches.

"The camera-based system will be installed during the close season ready for use on the opening weekend of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season – Saturday August 17.

"This will be the first time that goal-line technology is used in any domestic competition."

Hawkeye, which was sold to technology giant Sony two years ago, already provides systems for tennis and cricket.

Top flight bosses made their recommendation based on both cost and ease of implementation and use.

Earlier this month FIFA chose GoalControl, which is also a camera-based system, for the Confederations Cup in Brazil in June and next year’s World Cup finals.

Former Arsenal and FA vice-chairman David Dein, who has long campaigned for goal-line technology, claimed every top-flight referee in England was in favour of having a system.

He said: “The Premier League will be the first league in Europe to introduce it.

‘’I have been on this campaign for six or seven years and now it’s going to happen.

“The referees need help, the camera will always beat the eye, and every referee in the Premier League is in favour of it.”